Kisses
by Louatown
Summary: A collection of one shots involving Harry, Cho and their many kisses. Set during Order of the Phoenix.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: My take on Harry and Cho's fight after the whole Marietta mess.

Disclaimer: I only own the mistakes

Chapter 1

"Don't start crying again," Harry warned. He was standing at the corner of the Entrance Hall next the giant hour-glasses where Gryffindor's was almost empty, facing Cho Chang. When she hurried up to him, he'd been glad to postpone his meeting with Snape but as she started to make excuses for what her friend has done to the D.A, he'd lost his temper. He's been concerned that Umbridge might have come after her but instead she defended her sneak of a friend and accused Hermione.

"I wasn't going to!" she shouted.

"Yeah…well…good," he said. "I've got enough to cope with at the moment."

For a moment Cho opened and closed her mouth like a fish, as though she wanted to say something but couldn't summon the exact words. She briefly closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she was looking at him as if he was a complete stranger.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked him quietly.

Harry snorted. Did she really want an answer to that question? Because he could easily find a dozen things to tell her about what was wrong with him, including her best friend and probably Cho herself.

But instead he said bitterly, "I could ask you the same question,"

"I was just defending my best friend," she frowned and at once, Harry's anger reemerged.

"Defending?" he asked her incredulously.

"Well," Cho spat, "You would have done the same thing for Ron or _Hermione_ ," she said Hermione's name as though it was the dirtiest thing in the world.

"Firstly," seethed Harry, "my friends would have never done such thing, and secondly, what do you even have against Hermione!?"

"Really?" challenged Cho, taking a step closer to him. "If I recall, your friend Ron was part of the people who called you a cheater last year, wasn't he? And of course Hermione dearest would have never done such thing, since she's soooo PERFECT!"

At the mention of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry saw red and willed himself to calm down and to hurry up to Snape's class before he says something he might regret.

"You know what?" he said through gritted teeth not wanting to fight anymore, "I don't have time for this. I'm already late."

He pushed past her and she folded her arms. "Oh but of course, don't mind me at all, Harry! Go join Hermione!"

Harry was stunned for a moment at Cho's words. She was desperately ridiculous, so ridiculous even that instead of exploding with anger, he burst into laughter, which was a bad idea because Cho looked even angrier. Finally, she made the move to leave and he instantly grabbed her by the wrist. Why he did it? He had no idea.

"Let—" she started to protest before Harry's lips crashed into hers. It took her mere seconds to respond, but she eventually did, and she did so hungrily. It was too much for Harry, the guilt, the anger, the frustration, everything. And he conveyed it all in that kiss. He had never felt something like that, and suddenly he was reminded by what Hermione had said about Cho and her feelings. Now he understood too, how one person could feel so many things. He vaguely berated himself for thinking about Hermione in such moment, if Cho could read his mind, she'd probably start yelling at him again, speaking of mind reading, he was supposed to be at Snape's classroom by now…

He pulled away from Cho but her mouth still followed his, so he put his hands firmly on her shoulders, trying to ignore how his face was burning and how his heart was beating, and told her, "I've got to go. Snape's going to kill me for being late."

Cho didn't respond as she looked rather dazed. Her momentarily absence emboldened him, so before leaving, he pecked her lips one last time and quickly moved away; afraid he mightn't find the strength to push her back if that kiss was to repeat, though he wouldn't mind at all. Maybe next time.

 **R &R**

 **A/N** **:** Some parts of the chapter are from Order of the Phoenix. Thanks for reading, reviewing and/or favouriting. For those of you who follow _**Snowflake**_ , I'm sorry but it is discontinued. Perhaps I'll find the inspiration to continue it one day. But don't worry I have all the chapters of this new story written and beta-ed (thank you **Laura 001** ). The misspellings and other mistakes you'll find are entirely mine. Thank you thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: In which Cho comforts Harry after his encounter with his fifteen year old father (set after Harry was caught looking inside Snape's pensieve and saw his father and Sirius tormenting him)

Disclaimer: Nothing is my own.

Chapter 2

Hadn't he seen what he saw in Snape's pensieve, Harry would have probably dreaded the moment he'd face Cho again. But now, he had no time or motive to think about what to tell her, or how to act around her after that kiss for every thought of his was plagued with images of his godfather and father's delighted faces as they humiliated and tortured another student just because they were bored and because they didn't like him but, worse than that, the look of pure hatred in his mother's face as she confronted his father. He didn't understand how they ended up together in the first place and he couldn't help but admit that Snape has been right about his father and it made him even more miserable.

And it's in that state of total misery that Cho found him the next day, wandering aimlessly around the castle.

"Hi Harry." She smiled at him.

"Hi," he responded in a dead voice.

"I've been looking for you," she said brightly.

"Oh."

Cho eyed him suspiciously then looked suddenly awkward and out of place. "Is it about the last time?" she asked carefully."You know," she fidgeted, "the, th-the kiss…"

"Oh," Harry said turning pink, "no it's not about that. There's just, I—I have something in my mind, that's all."

"Do you want talk about it?" she offered gently but Harry shook his head.

Taking a step closer, Cho put a sympathetic hand on his arm. "It doesn't probably seem like it, but I'm a good listener, you know? Come on, try me."

Harry sighed. How he wished he could talk about it with her, but he couldn't even bring himself to open up about it with Ron and Hermione, how was he supposed to do so with Cho, who he barely knew? But then again, the reason why he didn't want to tell his best friends is because they knew how he'd looked up to his father and he didn't want them to change the way they think about him. But Cho doesn't know anything; she'd certainly listen to him objectively.

"Why not?" he finally said.

Cho beamed at him "Let's go for a walk outside," she said hopefully, but Harry stopped at once. He had no desire to go outside and see the lake or the things around it. It would just remind him of Snape's memory.

"I'd rather not," he said, "let's just walk around."

Cho looked at him with confusion, but eventually shrugged, and so they start walking.

"I don't know where to start," he said.

"Well," said Cho, walking very close to him, "start by telling me what is it about? Is it the D.A? Umbridge? Your O. ?"

"It's about my parents," he said gloomily.

"You never knew them, right?"It was more a statement than a question.

Harry nodded. "I've found out things about them that…disappointed me."

"And what are those things?" Cho asked gently.

"This man's been telling me for years that my father was arrogant and an attention seeker and…" Harry deflated.

"And you don't want to admit it, but he's kind of right," Cho said for him to which he frowned. He wanted nothing more than to argue with her, but he knew she was simply telling the truth.

For a moment Harry didn't talk, he just walked with his head bowed, looking at his scuffed shoes.

"I'm not just disappointed," he said with a frown, "I feel betrayed and I hate to admit it, but I'm ashamed for what he's done to that other man."

"But you feel guilty by just thinking that because your father is dead, don't you?" Cho asked surprising him. She looked at his face and smiled sadly, "I know that because that's how I felt and sometime still feel when I'm with you," she admitted. "I like you and I enjoy your company, well it's not just about you, it's about life in general. Every time I laugh, smile, or just am happy, I feel guilty because Cedric is dead and can't feel those things anymore. So I understand what you feel Harry, even though it's not exactly the same thing."

"So what do I do about it?" Harry asked wanting to just forget the feeling of utter misery and shame he gets every time he thinks about his father.

"For a start," Cho said, "get the idea that your father was perfect out of your head. It's just going to hurt and disappoint you because he wasn't perfect. He was human, just like you and me." She then grinned and playfully bumped him in the shoulder. "We've made mistakes too, haven't we? But we moved on and so did he."

Harry had a vague feeling that she wasn't talking about them being young and human, but more about them being something like a couple, however he decided to ignore it for the moment.

"So you want me to just forget about it?" he asked.

"No, accept it and forgive him. Does knowing what you now know affect your love or affection for your father?"

"No," responded Harry at once. Of course not, he still loves his father no matter what.

"Then it's alright. My uncle once did something that hurt his family very much and when my cousins came at our house hurt, ashamed, and swearing that they'd never talk to their father ever again, my father told them that a child must never repudiate his own father."

"I guess you're right," admitted Harry with a sigh, although he wasn't still convinced. Of course what Cho said made perfect sense, but the image of your own father torturing and humiliating another person wasn't an easy thing to forget. "But it's not just about my father," he said.

"Your mother?" asked Cho.

"She hated him," said Harry in a pained voice before clarifying, "my father I mean. She even told him she'd rather go out with the giant squid than with him. And I—"

But he was cut short by Cho's laughter. He looked at her with irritation and she tried very hard to calm down but couldn't.

"I'm glad you find it funny," he spat.

"Oh," said Cho taking his hand in hers. He would have protested if it wasn't for the fact that Cho's hand in his felt good in the cold weather. "I didn't mean to mock you. But you have to admit that it was funny!"

"Well," said Harry turning his head away but not freeing his hand from her grasp, "I don't find it funny at all."

"Of course you don't. It's your parents, after all, but you know what they say," she insisted earning a raised eyebrow from him, "that opposite attracts. I bet deep down she liked him, well she had to because you wouldn't be here otherwise."

"Hermione and Ron fight a lot," stated Harry, "and I'm sure they'll end up together one day, but they are friends and she doesn't look at him with disgust and hatred!"

Cho looked at him stunned and it took Harry a moment to realize that he had mentioned Hermione in front of Cho who had this irrational hatred towards her…

"You—you mean, Hermione and Ron like each other?" she asked incredulously.

Harry blinked. "Everyone probably knows that except them. But that's not the point here," he insisted, not wanting to talk about his best friends' love life.

"If your mother ended up marrying him and having his baby," Cho finally said after clearly forcing herself not to ask further questions about Ron and Hermione, "it's probably because he grew up and shed all his pretentiousness on the way to finally reveal the true him. And she must have seen it. There's more in a person than meets the eye you know?" she asked softly.

"Like you," he stated looking at her.

"And you," she smiled, putting her right hand on his cheek and leaning in until their lips brush. This time the kiss was not a hungry one or an angry one. This time, they kissed gently, softly, and slowly, taking their time to taste each other.

 **R &R**

 **A/N:** Thanks for all the supports! And once again, thanks to my beta **Laura 001.** English is not the main language in my country, we don't speak it daily, and we don't speak it in school so her help has been really precious.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: In which Hermione and Cho team up to dissuade Harry from acting like the impulsive Gryffindor he is. (Set before Harry decides to go inside Umbridge's office to try to contact Sirius)

Disclaimer: I'm just having fun here!

Chapter 3

"Harry, don't do it, please don't do it!" Hermione said in anguished tones as the bell rang at the end of the class.

He did not answer; he did not know what to do.

Ron seemed determined to give neither his opinion nor his advice, he would not look at Harry, though when Hermione opened her mouth to try dissuading Harry some more, he said in a low voice, "Give it a rest, okay? He can make up his own mind."

Harry's heart beat rapidly as he left the classroom. Before he could set off in the distance where obvious sounds of commotion could be heard, he was stopped by the sight of his, what? Girlfriend? Standing opposite his classroom, looking unhappy.

"Thanks Merlin you made it!" exclaimed Hermione, confusing him even more. Since when were Hermione and Cho friends?

Cho approached them, no trace of smile in her face and stood directly in front of him. "Tell me you are not stupid enough to do what I heard you planned on doing," she hissed.

For a moment Harry looked at her in disbelief, then, when the situation finally dawned on him, he rounded on Hermione. "You told her?" he asked angrily and menacingly.

"Calm down, mate." Ron tried for the look in his face was absolutely scary.

"No," he snapped, not tearing his eyes off of Hermione. "What did you tell her?"

Harry wasn't worried about Cho finding out about his plan; he was more concerned about her finding out about Sirius.

"Well, I had to stop you from getting yourself expelled," said Hermione defiantly and giving him a look implying that he was to shut up now, but it was too late as Cho's angry voice went up another octave when she spoke next.

"What is the matter here?" she demanded more hurt than angry. "That I know or that I'm trying to stop you from acting recklessly?"

"The matter is that I don't like it when people go behind my back," Harry snapped still glaring at Hermione.

"Well, excuse us for worrying about you," the latter retorted.

"I don't get it," Cho said in his ear in a whisper, after grabbing him by the arm and leading him a few distances away from his friends, "what is it so important that you feel the need to sneak into Umbridge's office? I get that owls are being watched, but can't it wait until summer?"

"It's about my father," Harry whispered, looking around to make sure his best friends didn't hear. Ron and Hermione were still looking at them, but at least they had the decency not to listen.

Cho frowned. "Is there something else you found?"

"No," replied Harry not looking at her, "it's just; I need to talk about it with someone who was there. I really need to know, it's killing me!"

Cho looked at him wearily then sighed. "I guess the way you found out in the first place prevents you from using the owls or is it the person you want to talk to?"

"Both," Harry grimaced.

"Alright," she said, "do whatever you think is best. But don't you dare get caught."

And as Umbridge came pelting out of her classroom, Harry made up his mind. There was no stopping him. Closing the distance between the two of them and not really caring if people were watching, he pecked Cho on the lips, a promise that he'll come back later to make it up to her because he was not going to get caught or expelled. Then he set off at a run, weaving in and out of students now hurrying in the opposite direction to see what all the fuss was about in the east wing.

 **R &R**

 **A/N** : Contains parts from Order of the Phoenix. Shout out to my beta **Laura 001** for putting up with me and big thank you for all of you especially my reviewers: **hillstar, Machoking, harryislife, E-hero tornado,** and **Slytherin Potter.** I'm sorry but all the chapters of this story are short and as for doing a 6th and 7th year, why not? But it will depend on my schedule and inspiration. Also, I have a 4th year story to publish. It was something I was requested to write a long time ago. But I can't publish it before finishing Kisses so from now on, instead of one chapter a week, I'll publish two. And I hope I'll get more reviews. Thank you all!


	4. Chapter 4

Summary: In which Harry comforts Cho after Gryffindor's victor against Ravenclaw (warning: OOC and cheesy)

Disclaimer: J.K Rowling owns everything.

Chapter 4

Hermione started towards the Gryffindor tower where their fellow Gryffindor comrades had taken Ron to celebrate their victory, Harry close behind her.

They were halfway up the stairs when she suddenly stopped walking and turned towards him a questioning look on her face. "Where are you going?" she asked.

Harry stared blankly at her, somewhat worried that the shock of seeing Grawp has done damage to her brain.

"Er, Hermione," he started, "I don't know if you are aware of it, but we just won the Quidditch cup and—"

"I know that," she snapped impatiently. "Did you forget whom we beat?"

"Raven—"

"Exactly!" exclaimed Hermione. "Aren't you going to find Cho?"

For the second time in less than 5 minutes, Harry stared blankly at her. "For what?" he finally asked.

Sighing dramatically, Hermione descended another step so she was in eye level with him. She didn't even open her mouth, but Harry knew that he was going to be treated to one of her lectures.

"Harry," she started in a tone of voice one would use to talk with children - very stupid ones - "girls have expectations. And right now, your girlfriend is expecting you to comfort her because her team, a team she's part of, lost the Quidditch cup."

"Oh," Harry muttered with already an image of Cho crying somewhere in his mind." Perhaps she's fine about it?" he offered hopefully, though he knew better.

Hermione simply gave him a look implying that he was very stupid then set off without waiting for him. Sighing dejectedly, Harry descended the stairs back towards the entrance hall and out in the still cold air.

All the way back towards the quidditch pitch, he prayed that Cho wouldn't cry or make a scene. Things have been great between them for the last couple of weeks and he hoped that they'd stay the same. Of course she still had her moments, but she never cried in front of him again, he'd just catch her with red and puffy eyes sometimes. He even offered to talk about it once but she told him that there's nothing they could do but wait until time healed the wound Cedric's death has left.

He waited in a lower seat as the remaining students went back to the castle and soon enough Cho and her team mates emerged from the changing-room, still dressed in their blue and silver quidditch robes and clutching their brooms. Roger Davies was more or less yelling at Cho who looked near tears. Harry found himself making his way angrily towards them; partly because he didn't want to be the one calming Cho down if she were to cry and partly because, well, he wasn't going to just watch Roger Davies yell at his girlfriend.

"Hey, what's going on?" he demanded when he was merely a few feet from them. Harry cringed as Cho's eyes instantly filled with tears upon seeing him. 'Great,' he thought, 'now I'm left with the task of calming her down!'

"It's none of your business, Potter," Davies spat and pushed passed him followed by his team mates as Cho wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his robe.

"Do you want me to hex him?" he asked, stroking her hair but eyes glaring daggers at the retreating quidditch captain.

"No," she said, her voice muffled by his robe, "you'll just get yourself in trouble. Besides, I had it coming."

"Had what coming?" asked Harry with confusion.

Cho sniffed, "He kicked me out of the team, he—"

"WHAT? I am going to hex him," he stated, already untangling Cho's arms from his waist and stomping towards the Ravenclaw team. He didn't know why it made him so mad. Perhaps, he reasoned, because I love quidditch and because I know better than anyone else how it feels to be kicked out of a team.

"Please," pleaded Cho in a watery voice and pulling at his arm to make him stop, "it doesn't matter anymore. The season is over anyway."

Harry turned sharply towards her. "So you're just going to let it go?"

"I deserve it;" she said quietly, "the snitch was just under my nose."

Harry had no answer for that especially when he didn't even watch the match. "Still," he said stubbornly, forcefully, "it's not a reason."

"He's already warned me at the start of the season. But I—"

"He should understand that it's not easy for you," insisted Harry though it still pained him to know how much influence Cedric still had on her. And to be honest, a part of him agreed that he would have probably done the same thing as Davies if he was team captain, but he decided to ignore that part of him and stick with Cho. Besides, Davies could have been more tactful with it and definitely shouldn't have yelled at her.

Cho shook her head. "It has nothing to do with Cedric," she said, "I was so nervous; I wanted you to be proud of me."

"What?" Harry breathed and she blushed. "Cho," he finally said with an amused smile, "you do know that it was my team you played against right? I wanted Gryffindor to win."

"I know that," Cho frowned and folded her arms, "but I wanted you to be proud of me as a seeker. Now, you're the boyfriend of the girl who caused her team to lose the cup because she totally missed the snitch that was under her nose! We could have still won the game if I caught that stupid snitch! Ron Weasley was temporarily gaining time for your team, but you couldn't even push passed our beaters!"

Harry internally cringed as he heard her recap the match. He was pretty sure that telling her he didn't even watch it was a very bad idea seeing that it was his presence that had supposedly caused her to be a nervous wreck and missed the snitch. Instead, he gently stroked her cheek with his thumb as he had his hands wrapped around her neck.

"Hey," he said softly, "I'm still very proud of you."

"You're only saying that to make me feel better," Cho responded though her lips had slightly turned upward.

"No really," Harry smiled, leaning his forehead against hers and blushing at his boldness and cheesiness, "my girlfriend's the only girl in the Ravenclaw quidditch team. Isn't that cool? Besides, no one looks as cute as her up there." Harry cringed as he said the words. Not that he didn't believe them, he did but it wasn't the kind of things he was used to say and he was sure that if his dorm mates were to find out, he'd never hear the end of it.

"Don't you have a celebration party to attend?" murmured Cho against his lips.

"I'd rather do this," he said definitely closing the distance between them.

Half an hour later, he was back in the Gryffindor common room, ready to celebrate their victory, Grawp totally forgotten and invigorated by a full session of snogging behind the stands.

 **R &R**

 **A/N:** Ooh la la! That was my favourite part of this whole story though it was awfully cheesy. I don't get why I even write things like that. Thanks for reading, for the reviews and for the favorites, and of course for my beta **Laura 001.** Really, I appreciate the support.


	5. Chapter 5

Summary: In which Ron asks questions. (Set during their O. examinations)

Disclaimer: I'm doing it just by desperation for this oh so hated pairing. Nothing is my own.

Chapter 5

On Friday, Harry and Ron had a day off while Hermione sat her ancient runes exam, and as they had the whole weekend in front of them, they permitted themselves a break from revision. They stretched and yawned beside the open window, through which warm summer air was wafting, as they played wizard chess when a very bad tempered Hermione arrived and started yelling at them just because she mixed two words in her Ancient Runes exams, then stormed towards the girls' dormitory.

"Another one?" asked Ron after he unsurprisingly won against Harry for the umpteenth time. Checking his watch, the latter shook his head.

"I promised Cho I'll pick her up after Charms and spend some time with her," Harry said. He had barely spent time with her since the start of the exams, though she'd slip words of encouragement to him whenever they pass each other.

"Right," said Ron. "So it's all official now, isn't it?"

"I guess…" Harry said slowly.

"I mean," Ron continued, "with the whole holding hands thing and snogging."

"Yeah, sure."

They sat in silence for a moment, both gazing at Hagrid who was still teaching his students on the edge of the forest before Ron started speaking again.

"So, um, tell me," he said hesitantly "how does it feel to…you know," he lowered his voice and looked around to make sure that no one was listening "have a girlfriend?"

Before Harry's raised eyebrow he hastily added "not that I never had one, but—"

"Of course," Harry cut him off. He's known Ron since he was eleven and not once his friend had mentioned a girl.

"I mean," Ron said rather insistently "I dated this girl before but it was way before Hogwarts…Ramona, that was her name."

"Oh well," started Harry just to save Ron from making a fool out of himself any longer "it's nice I guess. I mean, Cho's very…demonstrative and um," he turned crimson red as he recalled all his snogging sessions with her, how she had slowly trailed down kisses on his neck the other day or how he had nibbled her lower lip "she's my first girlfriend so I don't really have a way of knowing…but I guess it's great. You know, it makes me feel important and er loved the way she's um so concerned and um you know, takes care of me."

"Oh," said Ron "she seems to be a sweet girl." Harry cringed at the weirder and weirder conversation they were having.

"Yes she is," he offered.

"Did she ever," Ron cleared his throat "mention me?"

Harry looked at him perplexed and he added "I mean, I feel like she doesn't like me very much."

Harry raised his eyebrows, "It's Hermione she didn't like at first but I think everything's alright between them after I told her—"he stopped suddenly when he remembered what he had told Cho about Ron and Hermione liking each other. "Anyway," he said hastily "we never talked about you. She only mentioned you after the game but—"

"And what did she say?" Ron asked eagerly, once again earning raised eyebrows from Harry.

"She more or less said that your goal keeping skill was the only thing that saved us from a crushing defeat against her team, up until Ginny caught the snitch." Harry shrugged.

"Of course," said Ron importantly before proceeding on retelling how he did during the match for the umpteenth time. Harry decided he'd rather hear Ron talk about the match hundred times than talking about his love life with him.

 **R &R**

 **A/N:** Contains parts from the book and sorry for the shortness. Once again thanks everyone: beta, readers, reviewers and those who added to favorites.


	6. Chapter 6

Summary: let's go to the department of mysteries…or not (set after Harry and Hermione fled the centaurs and Grawp)

Disclaimer: If I were Harry Potter's creator, I wouldn't be writing fanfictions.

Chapter 6

"What is going on?" Cho asked; face as white as a sheet, eyes wide with panic and fear. Harry wasn't sure if it was because of the fact that she was in the forbidden forest or because he was covered in blood.

"I don't have time to explain," he said vaguely. "Anyway, how did you get away?" he asked the others in amazement and taking his wand from Ron.

Ron explained how they escaped and left Malfoy and the other Slytherins in Umbridge's office and Harry told them rather impatiently how he and Hermione got rid of the incompetent professor.

"We met Cho as she was heading towards the Hospital Wing," Ginny finished.

"I heard you fainted during your History of Magic examination," Cho said shakily. "Harry, what is going on? What are you all talking about?"

But Ron ignored her and asked Harry what he found about Sirius when he looked in the fireplace. "Has You-Know-Who got him or-?"

"Yes," said Harry, as his scar gave another prickle, "and I'm sure Sirius is still alive," he glanced briefly at Cho, Luna and Neville as he said this. They didn't know about his godfather, but Luna looked as unconcerned as ever while Neville just stood there with a grave expression on his face. Cho however, looked completely petrified.

"…but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him." He finished.

Of course Luna had to respond to his question with one of her crazy ideas and after Harry snapped at her, they came to the topic of who was going and who was staying behind.

"Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius just as much as you do!" Ginny said to her brother when he told her angrily that she wasn't coming.

"We were all in the D.A. together," said Neville quietly. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real-or was that all just a game or something?"

Sensing that they weren't going anywhere, Harry focused on a more important subject: the way they were going to get there.

"I thought we'd settled that," Luna said maddeningly. "We're flying!"

And for once she was right. In other circumstances, Harry would have never agreed to ride the Thestrals. Well, in other circumstances he would have never agreed with Luna Lovegood or let people who weren't Ron and Hermione get involved in one of his dangerous adventures but every moment they delayed was precious.

Cho was looking at him rigidly now and Harry didn't know if he should be relieved by her silence or concerned. Of all the members of the D.A., if he was to choose anyone to accompany him, Ron and Hermione, he would have never chosen Neville, Luna, or Ginny. Neville was the clumsiest person he knew, Luna was too distracted and unpredictable, and though Ginny was surprisingly skilled, she was Ron's sister; he knew it was killing him to bring her along. And Cho, she was the oldest of them all and she wasn't so bad, but she was too emotional and, even if she had McGonagall's experience, he'd be damned if he was bringing her to face Voldemort.

As the group discussed the matter of the Thestrals, Cho's eyes wouldn't leave his face and Harry didn't dare to look back at her. And when more Thestrals showed up after smelling the blood on Harry and Hermione's robes making it impossible for him to object about them accompanying him anymore, Harry desperately searched his brain for something, anything, to make her change her mind. She didn't even try to discuss the matter, she didn't protest like Ginny and Neville and somehow, her silence was worse.

As Luna and Neville scrambled to mount their Thestrals while Hermione, Ron, and Ginny just stood behind uncertainly, Harry finally approached Cho and offered to help her up on the one nearest his.

"Here," he said, placing her left hand on the creature's back while moving behind her on the pretense of helping her, then, as quick as lightning, before any of the others could move, he stunned her.

It didn't actually dawn on the others until he caught her limp form before she hit the ground. And as he supported her weight, he couldn't help but bent down and brush his lips against her temple ever so briefly, whispering his apologies and perhaps last goodbyes.

"YOU!" he heard Ginny roar, but Ron caught her just in time before she did something stupid with her wand already pointed at him. "How dare you?!" she yelled. "Are you going to stun us all too?"

"I don't have time to waste on you," Harry replied nastily as he performed a spell to levitate Cho from the ground, "if you insist on putting yourself in danger then I'm not stupid enough as to fight each one of you; especially as we are running out of time. But Cho's going to set foot in London over my dead body!"

He had no regret for doing what he did. Cho was different for him. For some reasons, he felt more protective about her. He didn't know when she became so important. All he knew is that he wanted to put as much distance between her and the part of him that was the Boy-Who-Lived, and for that he was willing to do whatever it takes. It's not like he didn't care about the others, he knew that bringing his friends along was wrong, but he wasn't stupid enough to fight each one of them and he also knew that going to the Department of Mysteries alone was suicide.

At the corner of his eyes, he saw Hermione taking a step closer, wand raised and he immediately whirled towards her "Don' . .Her," he snarled.

"I wasn't going to," Hermione snapped. "I was just going to help you get her out of the forest."

She quickly performed a spell that Harry once saw Madam Pomfrey use on injured students and he watched as Cho's body floated in the air and headed out of the forest.

"I sent her back to the castle," Hermione informed him still frowning. "But it will take some time. Still, we better hurry up before someone revives her and track us down."

"Thanks," Harry muttered as he mounted his Thestral.

"I agree with Ginny," Hermione said quietly with an edge in her voice, "it wasn't your choice to make. She had as much right, if not more, to come. She wants to fight him as much as you do, that's why she joined the D.A. in the first place."

"Well, too bad she's unconscious," Harry said carelessly.

 **R &R**

 **A/N:** The hardest chapter I had to write. It's probably terrible too. I added a lot of things after my beta sent it back and I posted the new version un-beta-ed. Anyway, thanks for still being here. The chapter contains parts from the book. One chapter left so it's not too late to post a review.


	7. Chapter 7

Epilogue

 **A/N:** This is the last chapter. This story came to me when I was sitting in front of my computer, trying to write my memoir and as I am editing this, I am supposed to work on it. Anyway, I have a new story coming so if you're still interested... It will probably be the last before a very long time though.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't make any money out of Harry Potter.

Harry knew that the first thing he ought to do upon exiting Dumbledore's office was to check on his friends. If he didn't feel so numb and partly dead inside, he would have certainly felt guilty for not heading towards the Hospital Wing. But all he wanted to do was fall asleep and forget about the world and forget he even existed.

As he navigated the walls of Hogwarts, Harry was slightly relieved to notice that the news about what happened in the Department of Ministry hadn't reached the students yet. He could use some little peace. He climbed the portrait hole and was immediately met by the sight of the Gryffindor D.A. members led by Dean Thomas, huddled together in the middle of the common room.

"Harry?" Seamus exclaimed. "Where have you been, mate?"

"Long story," Harry muttered heading towards the boys' dormitory.

Everyone in the room looked at him.

"Where are Ron and Neville?" Dean asked perplexed by his nonchalance.

"They're fine," Harry sighed, "at least I hope they are."

"Hermione and Ginny aren't in their room either," Parvati Patil pointed out.

"What is going on?" Collin Creevey asked.

"I told you, it's a long story," Harry repeated with irritation. "Now if you lot don't mind, I'd like to get some sleep."

He was halfway up the stairs when Parvati's voice rang again. "A group of first year Slytherins found Cho on the steps of the castle," she said and Harry froze. He had completely forgotten about Cho.

"We knew it was a stunning spell even before Professor Flitwick revived her," Collin said proudly.

To which Dean nodded. "She was hysterical when she woke up though, kept blubbering about you and You-Know-Who. He had to lead her away from the gathering students."

"We knew it was an attack. That's why we were worried sick about you," Seamus finished.

"How is Cho?" Harry asked them.

"My sister said she saw her returning in the Ravenclaw tower in tears," said Parvati.

Harry sighed, though he didn't know if it was of relief or fatigue.

"I'll check on her later," he said wearily before ascending the stairs and closing the boys' dormitory door behind him.

By the time he awoke, the news had finally traveled. The few students amassed in the common room congratulated him, clapped him on the back, and asked him questions which he refused to answer. He was about to exit the common room when Dennis Creevey emerged from the portrait hole looking rather concerned.

"Harry!" he exclaimed upon seeing him, and for a moment he was scared the younger boy was going to ask him questions too. "Thanks Merlin you're here. I was just going to fetch you from your room."

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, at once thinking about his injured friends.

"Nothing like that," Dennis said hurriedly "it's—it's, well Cho followed me from the great hall. I swear I tried to get rid of her, but she persisted. She's outside. At least I managed to prevent her from entering. Can you imagine what McGona—"

"Thank you," Harry cut his rambling and stepped out.

As soon as Cho caught sight of him, she threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. Harry who had expected yelling and crying was slightly astounded by her behavior.

"You're not mad at me?" he asked in his hollow voice.

"I was furious at you, but then the fear of losing you overtook it," she said looking at him, then she brought her hand in her hair and start fussing with it "is it true?" she demanded. "Did you really…? How about the others?"

"They are in the hospital wing," Harry told her. "I was just about to check on them. I don't know what is written in the newspaper but—I'll tell you later, okay?"

He was tired already and he had just woken up.

Cho nodded, grabbed his hand and followed him silently towards the Hospital Wing. Harry was slightly relieved to see that Neville, Ginny, and Luna were as good as new. Ron and Hermione however were to stay longer, but they were alive and that's all that counted.

The feeling of numbness in Harry persisted during the days following the events of the Ministry of Magic. And though Cho showered him with affection and attention, nothing could fill the void Sirius' death had created in him. Eventually he told her everything or as much as he was willing to tell. She didn't know about the prophecy, no one did, but she knew as much as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.

"Cho?" asked Harry one day as he was lying with his head on her lap near the bank of the lake.

"Mmh?" she replied, focused on the task of combing his messy hair with her fingers.

"How did you do it?"

Cho's hands stopped moving at once. "What do you mean?"

"When—when Cedric died," Harry said quietly. It was the first time he ever willingly mentioned the other champion.

Cho stayed quiet for a long time and Harry was afraid she might have started crying again, though he didn't feel so uncomfortable with it anymore. Until she unexpectedly start speaking again.

"At first I cried a lot and then I wouldn't stop talking about him to whoever was willing to listen," she paused.

"Yeah," Harry said impatiently, "but how did you get better?"

"I opened my heart," Cho simply said as though it was obvious. "You don't get it, do you?" she asked him affectionately. "I opened my heart to you. I let you in and you healed me. Well, you and time."

"To whom am I supposed to open my heart?" he asked with a frown. "I mean, we're together, aren't we?"

"Opening your heart to people doesn't always mean being together with that person. Take us, we were together at first, but we barely talked. You can open up with anyone, even Luna if you want, talk with her, tell her how you feel…accept her affection. But, it won't work if you don't want to heal."

"I want to heal," Harry said firmly, "I want to forget this feeling of helplessness and total blackness."

Cho bent down and kissed his forehead, right on his scar, "That's my boy," she smiled at him.

"You know," she said, "opening up my heart wasn't the hardest part for me. It was the will to heal and move on. I felt so guilty by doing it, by even wanting it. But you are braver than me, you aren't afraid to move on, you just don't know how to. But you will learn," she assured him.

They stayed there, enjoying each other's company in a comfortable silence. Harry absentmindedly stroked Cho's right arm that lay on his chest and thought about the prophecy and how things were supposed to end. Sitting there peacefully with her, Voldemort seemed so far away, yet the void in Harry's heart spoke loudly and was a strong reminder that none of it was a dream. Hell, he only had to look at Ron's arms to be reminded. And then he thought about Cho. What would happen to her if he failed and died? Would she go on the process of healing again after losing another boyfriend?

Harry was suddenly tempted to break up with her; to let her go before it was too late. She could still find someone else, they haven't been dating for so long yet…but the craven part of him didn't want to. Those last days, he had felt the need to be alone every time there were people around; and when he was alone, he wanted people around. And Cho seemed to be the answer to his needs. She wasn't a crowd, she didn't bother him with questions, she wasn't constantly trying to talk about Sirius; she let him be yet she never failed to remind him of her presence at his side, never failed to remind him that he was not alone. Cho was his greatest source of comfort and he couldn't find it in him to let go of her. Maybe it was selfish, but he had spent years and years putting others' need before his, now it was his turn to be selfish.

"Is there something wrong?" Cho asked. He had stopped stroking her arm.

"No," Harry replied. Then bringing her hand to his mouth, he kissed it and said, "I'm glad you're here."

 **R &R**

 **A/N:** Owari desu! Ooh la la, the cheesiness in this story!

Thank you so much for the supports, it means the world. Shout out to **Laura 001** my very patient beta and remember that the mistakes and lameness you've come across while reading this whole story are entirely mine. Thank you thank you!


End file.
